Differentially operable accumulating mechanism



July 3, 1951 E. R. LAWSON DIFFERENTIALLY OPERABLE ACCUMULATING MECHNISM3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1949 A m. ri m INVENTCR EARL R. LAWSONMadam.

ATI'ORNEY July 3, 1951 E. R. LAwsoN 2,558,967 DIFFERENTIALLY OPERABLEACCUMULATING MECHANISM Filed May 24, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZSnventorEARL R. LAWSON (Ittorne Patented July 3, 1951 DIFFERENTIALLY OPERABLEACCUMULAT- ING MECHANISM Earl R. Lawson, Vestal, N. Y., assignor toInternational Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application May 24, 1949, Serial No. 95,032

4 Claims. l

This invention relates to record controlled accounting machines and moreparticularly to the accumulating devices therein.

The principal object of the invention is to provide simplified controlmechanism and circuit connections for the accumulating mechanism. Thetype of accumulator to which the invention applies is the well knowndifferentially operable accumulator in which the accumulating element orwheel is coupled or clutched to a constantly rotating driving element. Astart magnet when energized effects coupling and a stop magnet whenenergized effects uncoupling, and by controlling the relative times ofenergization of these magnets the wheel may be advanced to enter anyselected digital value.

Heretofore, a single pair of start and stop magnets was provided in eachdenominational order of the accumulator, and through switching mechanismwere controllable during adding operations to enter digits and duringresetting operations were effective to advance the wheels to their zeroor home positions.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided in eachdenominational order a second pair of start and stop magnets, and thecircuits are reorganized so that one pair of magnets is controlled foradding or subtracting operations, and the otherfor resetting and totaltaking operations. This enables the elimination of switching devicesknown as total switch plates whose function was to adjust the circuitsbetween adding and total taking operations, so that the single pair ofmagnets would respond to diierent current sources.

Other objects of the invention Will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention andthe best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation View of an accumulator assembly showing twoaccumulator orders. Some of the parts in the lower order are sectionedand other parts are removed to clearly reveal the totalizing mechanism.Y

Fig. 2 is a front and sectional view of the accumulators taken along theline 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation View of the accumulator taken along theline 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the tens carry contacts as positioned whenthe related accumulator wheel is located in the zero position afterhaving passed from 9 to 0.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the tens carry contacts (Cl. 235-6L6) aspositioned when the associated accumulator wheel is located in its 9position.

Fig. 6 is a Wiring diagram of the electrical circuits for controllingthe accumulator.

Fig. 7 is a timing diagram showing the period of operation of certain ofthe electrical and mechanical devices.

A machine of the type to which the invention may be applied is shown anddescribed in detail in the patent of A. W. Mills, No. 2,079,418, grantedMay 4, 1937, The accumulator thereof, to which the present invention isdirected, will first be described as to its structural arrangement andwith reference to Figs. 1 to 5.

The gear le in each accumulator order is mounted on a bushing 29 (Fig.2) and keyed to another gear 30 by means of a dowel pin 3l fastened tothe bushing. The unit comprising the gears and the bushing is free torotate constantly on the stud il. The stud is extended by attaching ashouldered sleeve 32 thereon by a screw 33. Between the head of thescrew and the shoulder on the sleeve is located a hub 34 carrying anaccumulator gear wheel 35 and a tens carry disk 36. Thus, the twoseparate gear units may rotate independently on the stud Il. The unitcontaining gear 30 is rotated one-half revolution for each cycle ofoperation of the machine. The accumulator gear 35 is provided with fortyteeth. Therefore, one-quarter revolution of this gear represents acomplete adding operation of ten steps.

'The two gears 3i) and 35 are adapted to be clutched together so thatthe accumulator gear 35 may be driven a differential distance by thedrive gear 30. The clutching device includes two pinions 3l and 38(Figs. 1 and 3) which are held together by a bushing 39 on a stud 4Dmounted on a clutching lever 4l pivoted at 42 (Fig. l). The pinion 3| isadapted to engage with the gear 30 but the teeth thereon are normallyout of engagement with the gear teeth. The other pinion 38 maintainsengagement with the teeth on accumulator gear 35. A spring 43 attachedto lever 4| urges the lever counterclockwise to clutch pinion 31 withgear Si) for driving, but the lever is prevented from moving by thecontact of the end of a horizontal arm thereon'with the end of anarmature 44 pivoted at 46 and associated with the accumulator magnets Dand DI the armature being held in such a position against a stop stud 4lby a spring 45. When either of the magnets D or DI is energized,attracting the armature, the lever 4l is released and then the spring 43rocks the pinion 3l into mesh with the gear 30.

An adding operation in the accumulator is effected by the sensing of anamount perforation in one of the data columns of the record card (Fig.6) by the respective sensing brush 5 to cause energization of magnet D.The pinion 31 is then thrown into mesh with the gear Si) while thelatter is rotating. Through the connections between pinions 31 and 38and gear 35 the accumulator gear is caused to rotate until the zeroposition on the card reaches the brush. at which time the pinion 31 isthrown out of mesh by a cam 50 (Figs. 1 and 2) which cooperates with theclutching lever 4|. This cam is xed with respect to gears l and 3|! andthus is constantly rotating with them. As shownI in Fig. l, two camprojections 5| and two projections 52 are provided on the cam 5i)because the cam is timed to turn a half revolution for each accumulatorcycle. After the pinion 31 is thrown into mesh with gear 3i] andcommences to rotate gear 35,7as soon as the cam projection 5| reaches anarm 52 extending from lever 4|, the cam rocks the lever clockwise aboutthe pivot e2 to move the pinion 31 out of mesh with gear 3e, so that theaccumulating gear 35 is declutched from the Vdriving means and ceases torotate. The lever 4| is latche'd in the declutched position by thearmature 44.

When the clutching lever 4| is moved counterclockwise to clutchingposition, an extension on the top of the lever engages a shoulder on aplate 54 which is located properly to stop the lever. An impositivelatch or pawl 55 is pivoted at 42 and connected to lever 4| by a pin andslot connection 56. When the lever holds the clutching pinions out ofengagement, pawl 55 engages the teeth on gear 35. The pawl also preventsoverthrow of the gear as it is declutched. The pinion 38 is providedwith an impositive latch l51 pivoted on lplate 1.

If it is desired to subtract an amount from the accumulator, thecomplement 'of the amount is added to the accumulator. In adding thecomplement, accumulator magnets D are energized automatically at thenine index position (the units order at the ten position) to meshpinions 31 with gears 30 and start the wheels rotating. Each wheelcontinues torotate until a perforation is sensed, then the 'gears intheaccumulator receiving the complement are declutched. The connections foroperating the lever 4| to secure the desired relationship between theclutching of one accumulator and the declutching of the otheraccumulator will now be described.

A subtraction and cancellation control magnet S (Fig. 1)l is energizedunder control of the record card perforation sensed by the brush 5. Amagnet S is provided for each accumulator order and is associated withdevices for operating clutching lever 4| todeclutch gear 35. A longlever 58 is pivoted at 59 on plate 1 and has one end cooperating withthe bottom of an armaturey 60 associated with magnet S. The armature ispivoted at 6| and held normally against a stop stud 62 by a spring 63.When the magnet is energized, releasing the end of the lever 58, aspring 64 urges the lever in a c'ounterclockwise direction against stop65 and a pin 56 on the lever is pushed against a latch 61 pivoted at 68.The latch 61 normally engages a shoulder 69 on an arm 10 pivoted at 1|.

Another shoulder 12 on the arm 10 is urged towards the horizontal arm ona lever 4| by means of the spring 43 attached to a stud on the arm. Thesudden release of the arm 10 after the pin 66 pushes the latch 61 awayfrom shoulder 69 causes the two parts 10 and 4| to rock clockwise underthe urging of the spring 43 connecting the two, thereby swinging thelever 4| in a clockwise direction to declutch the gears. This action isaccomplished because spring 43 tends to fold together and shorten. ltcan shorten only when member 19 and frame il are rocked in a clockwisedirection. Therefore, when the latch 61 releases the spring, it movesthe frame to declutch the gears. The parts 51 and 10 delay declutching amoment after magnet S is energized. The lever 4| is latched in normalposition by the armature 44.

At the end of each machine cycle the lever 53 is restored by one of apair of rollers 13 mounted on a flange of the bushing 29 (Fig. 2). Theroller strikes the lower side of the left end of the lever (Fig. l),rocking it clockwise and latching the right end under armature Eil.'While restoring, a pin 14 on lever 58 strikes the lower edge of arm 1and restores the arm,placing shoulder 69 above the latching face onlatch 51 and tensioning spring 43 to urge lever 4| in the properdirection for clutching the gears. The parts 61 and 1D provide means forcontrolling the declutching time, so that a uniform disengagement of thegears is secured during the operation of the machine.

From the foregoing section of the description, it is clear that theaccumulator wheels are clutched to the driving gears by means undercontrol of the accumulator magnets D, and they are declutched by themagnets S at differential times during a cycle or by cam 5| at the endof a cycle. During ordinary adding operations, the magnets S are notused, the accumulator wheels being clutched at the differential times bythe magnets D and declutched at the zero position by cams 5|.

When the machine is set for subtraction conl trol, the magnets D areenergized early in the cycle to clutch the Vaccumulator wheels to beginadding the complement of the amount. Then, when a certain amountperforation in the card is sensed, the related accumulator magnet S isenergized to declutch the wheel at the differential point.

For effecting carrying or transferring from one order to the next orderin an accumulator, a frame 'i pivoted at 18 is adapted to cooperate withthe cam 'faces on the tens carry disk Sii which is attached to theaccumulator gear wheel 35 as described hereinbe'fore. An insulationblock 1s vsecured to frame 11 cooperates with the center blade B5 of aset of Contact blades 8i), 8| and 5'?. lA finger t@ extending from theframe 11 cooperates with the periphery of the transfer' disk 3S.

When the accumulator wheel is located in the nine position (Fig. 5),` anotch e4 in the disk is in line with linger its and allows vframe 'i1 torock in a countercloclcwise direction, permitting the center springcontact blade Se to rise, closing the contacts 35 between the two upperblades.

If the accumulator wheel passes `from the `nine to the zero positionduring an adding operation (Fig. li), a projection 86 on disk v3Gstrikes the finger 33 and rocks the frame 11 'in a, clockwise direction.The block 1g then depresses the `cen-- ter blade below the normalposition and closes contacts 81 between the two lower blades. A latch 88pivoted at 59 cooperates with a'shoulder 90 to hold lthe frame inshifted position after the wheel passes the camming position. A'spring,r9| holds the latch in position until the end` of the ladding cycle whenone of the rollers 13 strikes the latch and releases frame 11 formovement counterclockwise into normal position as urged by blade 80.

After accumulating, the Wheels are restored to the normal zero position,finger 83 rests on the concentric edge of the disk, and frame 11 holdsthe center blade 80 with both contacts 85 and 81 opened.

Each lower contact 81 is wired in series with the next higher orderaccumulator magnet D in a manner to be explained more fully hereinafterwith reference to the wiring diagram.

The upper contacts 85 are also wired to connect to higher order magnetsso that, if a carry impulse is directed to the magnet associated withclosed contacts 85, the impulse is carried through them to the nexthigher magnet. The carry impulses through the contacts S5 and 81 aretimed to occur after the cam projection 5| passes the extension 53, sothat if a carry is desired the magnet D is energized, releasing lever 4|and clutching the accumulator gear for one step of movement, after whichthe clutch lever is again thrown out by the engagement of the camprojection 52 with extension 53.

The energizaticn of the units order magnet at the ten rather than thenine position during complement addition has been mentioned before inthis specification. The extra unit thus gained lls out the complement tothe true tens complen ment of the number being subtracted. If the numberrepresented on a record card contains a zero in the units column, therotation of the units order wheel through ten steps of movement willactuate the carry mechanism to induce a carry into the higher orderAwheel, thus automatically carrying the extra unit to the higher ordersto ll out the complement.

Referring now to the circuit diagram (Fig. 6), the card sensing devicesare diagrammatically represented and the circuitV arrangement ispresented in simplied form. When an amount is to be added, the switch|80 is closed to energize the Plus relay Rl and, when an amount is to besubtracted, the switch lill is closed to energize the Minus relay R2. Itwill be assumed that the cards l are fed past brushes 5 through suitabledevices, so that the index point positions 9, 8, '7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, l,(l pass and are sensed in succession in the usual manner.

With switch closed and relay Rl energized, an adding circuit Will becompleted when a hole in card is sensed, which is traceable from line|03, card lever contacts CL, contact roller 220, hole in the card, brush5, plug connection |04, a contacts of relay Ri (shifted), circuitbreaker contacts and add magnet D to ground. At the 0 time in the cycle(see Fig. '7), the mechanical knockout cam 5| will declutch the addingwheel, leaving itradvanced an amount represented by the Value of thehole sensed.

The circuit from brush 5 also extends through connection |04, b contactsof relay Ri and connection |01 to print magnet PM and ground. Thismagnet positions a type bar, as explained, in the patent referred to, sothat the amount added will also be printed on a suitable record sheet.

At the tens carry time, contacts CBM close and, if for example the unitswheel had passed through ten steps and closed its contacts 81, thecircuit would be completed from line |03, cont-acts CBI4, contacts 81 inthe units order, contacts |06 (now shifted) in the tens order and 6magnet D to ground. This effects clutching i'n the tens order and, afterone step of advance, cam 52 effects mechanical declutching.

For subtracting an amount, switch |0| is closed to energize relay R2which closes its a and b contacts. Accordingly, contacts 0F22 willcomplete a circuit one point in advance of the 9 sensing time, throughthe b contacts of relay R2 in the emitter order and contacts |05 to theD magnet in such order. In remaining orders, contacts CF23 will energizethe D magnets through similar circuits at the 9 time. Later, when thehole in the card is encountered, a circuit is completed in the unitsorder, for example, from brush 5, connection |04, a contacts of relay RI(normal) and magnet S to ground to declutch the wheel after advancing anamount representing the 10s complement of the hole value. In otherorders this will be the 9s complement.

A parallel printing circuit extends from brush 5, connection |04, acontacts of relay R2 (shifted) connection Iil and print magnet PM toprint the true value sensed. Thus, amounts are entered additively orsubtractively.

In the foregoing manner, amounts are added or subtracted accordingly asswitch |00 or |0| is closed, and it will be assumed that the aggregateof plus items is greater than the minus items, so that the totalstanding in the accumulator will have a plus value.

In order to read out such total and also to reset the accumulator,switches |09', |10 are closed and switch l ii is shifted to its dottedline position. With switch ||0 closed, contacts CB23 will complete acircuit from line |03 and plug connections I2 to all the DI magnets inparallel, and as a result the adding Wheels will all be coupled forrotation ten steps in advance of the zero point in the cycle.

Just before the 9 point, contacts CBSB close to energize relay R3, shiftits a contacts and hold them shifted for the period indicated in Fig. 7.Contacts CB'IS will transmit a series of impulses at each digit enteringtime, as indicated, to the 10s carry contacts 81.

Assuming that, for example, the units order stood at 4. the initialenergization of its magnet DI Would have coupled the Wheel for rotationand six steps or points of advance would cause it to pass from 9 to 0setting, incidentally closing contacts 81. This closure of contacts S1would be concurrent with the closure of contacts CBI3 at the 4 time anda circuit is then traceable from line |03, through contacts CBI3, switch(shifted), contacts 81 in the units order, a contacts of relay R3 in theunits order, and stop magnet SI to ground. Magnet Si causes uncouplingof the adding wheel leaving it at its 0 or home position. At the sametime, there is a circuit from line |03, contacts CB|3, switch I||,contacts 81 in the units order, connection ||3 to print magnet PM tointerrupt the type carrier With its 4 type in printing position.

Similar parallel circuits occur in all other orders, with interruptionof rotation of such wheels occurring when they reach 0 with accompanyingprint of the total.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a singlemodication, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the artWithout departing from the spirit of the invena assess? 7 tion. It isthe intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scopeof the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A denominational order of an accumulator comprising a drivingelement, a driven element, coupling mechanism therebetween, a pair ofmag nets, each separaten7 eii'ective upon energization to cause thecoupling mechanism to connect the driven element for operation by thedriving eiement, a second pair oi magnets each separately effective uponenergization to cause the coupling mechanism to disconnect said drivenand driving elements, entry control means for causing energization ofone of each pair of magnets in succession to enter a digital value intothe driven element, and reset control means for causing energization ofthe other of each pair of magnets in succession to reset the drivenelement.

2. A denominational order of an accumulator comprising a drivingelement, a driven element, coupling mechanism therebetween, a pair ofmagnets, each separately effective upon energization to cause thecoupling mechanism to connect the driven element for operation by thedriving element, a second pair of magnets, each separately effectiveupon energization to cause the coupling mechanism to disconnect saiddriven and driving elements, entry control means 'for causingenergization of one of said pairs of magnets to cause coupling oi thedriven element, means controlled by the driving element for renderingthe coupling mechanism subsequently ineiective, reset control vmeans forcausing energization ci the other of said pair of magnets to causecoupling of the driven element, and means controlled by the drivenelement when it reaches a reset position for rendering the couplingmechanism ineffective.

3. A denominational order of an accumulator comprising a drivingelement, a driven element, coupling mechanism therebetween, a tens carrydeviceya pair of magnets, each separately effective upon energization tocause the coupling mechanism to effect a driving connection between saidelements, means coordinated with the driving element for eiectinguncoupling at a predetermined point in the operation of the drivingelement, a rst control means for causing energization of one of saidmagnets at differential times in advance of said uncoupling op eration,whereby the driven element will be advanced differential amounts, asecond control means for causing energization of the other of saidmagnets at a second predetermined point in the operation of the drivingelement, and means controlled by the tens carry device for eifectinguncoupling when the driven element passes through a zero position, andmeans for selecting either of said control means for operation.

4. In a cyclically operable accumulating mechanism of the type whereinthe digit entry in an accumulator element is initiated by an impulsetransmitted to a start magnet and is terminated by an impulsetransmitted to a stop magnet, the combination therewith of a secondstart mag net and a second stop magnet for initiating and terminating anentry by impulses transmitted thereto, respectively, a rst impulsesource for energizing the rst pair of magnets, a second impulse sourcefor energizing the second pair of magnets, and devices for selectivelyrendering either impuise source effective.

EARL R. LAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,079,418 Mills May 4, 19372,224,770 Mills Dec. 10, 1940

